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I’m black and Bristol loves me: a response to Chanté Joseph

Lucky Dube writes a response to Chante Joseph’s argument on the position of black students at the University of Bristol.

I would see it as a positive that these pictures – of two students of the University of Bristol in ‘Orange is the New Black’ costumes – surfaced as they encourage some students to say how they really feel. In this respect I appreciate Chanté Joseph’s piece on black culture at the University but there are issues with the views espoused that need to be addressed.

People, irrespective of their race, should be free to wear what they want

It would appear that for some, ‘dressing like the seventh member of N.W.A’ is a bit jarring, especially if you appear to hail from the ‘Northern Powerhouse.’ We can never know that these people haven’t always dressed like this and even if they adopted this style upon coming to university, that’s doesn’t make it a bad thing. If it is assumed that wearing ‘edgy’ clothes is a part of black culture – and it would be a most extraordinary instance of reductionism if anyone had such a view – then is it not a good thing that white students would want to dress like their black counterparts? It’s a good thing that students feel they can dress how they want, instead of being confined by their race or background.

A week ago, Uni of Bristol rep dismissed claims of racism within the uni because the reports were minimal. Meanwhile the students.. pic.twitter.com/dakoFWpDR7

It is true that black people have grievances and have suffered throughout history but is it necessary that a person be aware of this before they consider wearing a puffer jacket? Even if white middle class students have the privilege of not being followed in shops or perceived as a threat, that shouldn’t mean that they should be prohibited from speaking or dressing a certain way. Also, I’m not sure how Joseph knows that people think black when they wear an Adidas tracksuit or intensify the atmosphere in a gathering by putting some Stormzy on. Views that reduce being black to a way of speaking and dressing lead to relentless stereotyping. This is to say nothing of the suffering that some black students, that don’t conform to Joseph’s standards, endure – I myself have had to get used to being questioned, often by fellow black students, as to why I speak the way I do and why I wear smart trousers.

Appropriation of culture is fine so long as you participate in activism

The introduction of the ‘house nigger narrative’ came as a release – it is the case in pieces like these that the narrative is suffused in the argument but is never addressed explicitly. The term, ‘house nigger,’ refers to a black person that has, as it were, sold out. They have abandoned their ‘brethren’ and instead choose to associate with their oppressors, who apparently hold them in contempt. This is what Joseph means when she writes, ‘[black students] hell-bent on denying the existence of racism on campus as a means of appeasing their white friends.’ It is in no way helpful to have the view that white people or institutions in our society will never accept those from minority backgrounds – such hopelessness is in no way healthy. How can you sustain friendships with those that happen to be white if it is your view that they harbour contempt for you? It’s impossible to trust anyone that isn’t like you if you have this view.

Bristol University is setting up a taskforce with Bristol mayor Marvin Rees to tackle racism.https://t.co/lqfG6U3lME

I’ll finish by addressing Joseph’s final point that reads, ‘If all the white girls wearing cornrows, bantu knots, fetishizing black men … decided to actively campaign against racism as opposed to just appropriating the culture maybe we’d see some real change in society.’ A gap that lay unfilled in Joseph’s first point on appropriation has now been addressed: appropriation of culture is fine so long as you participate in activism. Suppose the person appropriating culture does not share Joseph’s politics? Does that make them racist? Is it not enough that people see black people as people and treat them as they would anyone else? This is the true signifier of a cohesive society: people, irrespective of their race, should be free to wear what they want, speak how they wish, listen to grime, and do whatever else.

Anyone who has a picture of themselves standing proudly, in a members club, in coat and tails, next to Jacob Rees-Mogg has absolutely no valid grounds to use their own experiences to argue on this issue.

It would not be a leap to suggest you have not had anything like the life / cultural experience that is typical for a young person from a BME background.

Bristol loves me & my black friends also. Maybe the dislike in Chante and her paranoia is warranted by her discraceful poisoned mind, hypocitical racist views and has nothing to do with the colour of her skin

So a commenter has tried to discredit Lucky for having a photo taken wearing a smart suit in a lovely location. How insulting of your own race insinuating that black men should not have that right. Would you have been happy for him to comment if his photo was taken wearing drop-downs, snapback & gold plated chain? Shame on you

Where in the comment does the person say that black men don’t have the right to wear suits in lovely locations? They weren’t at all suggesting that Lucky’s views are invalid because of that – just that, because he occupies a particular position of privilege, his views are possibly not representative. Because of institutional and systematic racism, the experience of BME students can be an uncomfortable one. Lucky’s privilege means that, fortunately for him, he has been able to access certain opportunities that can feel exclusionary to those who don’t feel that they fit in to the sort of circles that Jacob Rees-Mogg moves in.

I think the issue here is people (including Lucky) being unempathic to the experiences of those less fortunate than themselves,

Where in the comment does the person say that black men don’t have the right to wear suits in lovely locations? They weren’t at all suggesting that Lucky’s views are invalid because of that – just that, because he occupies a particular position of privilege, his views are possibly not representative. Because of institutional and systematic racism, the experience of BME students can be an uncomfortable one. Lucky’s privilege means that, fortunately for him, he has been able to access certain opportunities that can feel exclusionary to those who don’t feel that they fit in to the sort of circles that Jacob Rees-Mogg moves in.

I think the issue here is people (including Lucky) being unempathic to the experiences of those less fortunate than themselves.

OMG, just googled Chante Joseph. So Chante’s defence for the accusation of racism and bullying in an awful incident of blatant racism in the Daily Express is that she didn’t say a word to the victims. A picture can speak a thousand words young lady & unfortunately you posted that pic & made awful derogatory racist comments.

That’s like saying I was holding the gun, took a photo of the dead body, but I ain’t no murderer because I didn’t pull the trigger.

Very nice response to the original story. We all share this earth, and unfortunately racism does exist. But me as a person when I meet new people I don’t see colour I choose to accept or not accept people in my life based on their character and qualities as a person. I do get disheartened when I read stories that in my opinion are written by people trying their best to find racism. We need to laugh at eachother more break down the walls and not assume that someone who is of a different race has resentment towards you.

What a great article. Joseph’s article like many many of her previous articles and tweets are a disgrace. I hope the girls falsely accused in her article get an apology from her, however, doubt they will! I have never read so much rubbish in my life written by one person (and I have just read the daily mail website!)